Marshall CODE Cheat Sheet


Pre-amps


50's British

Classic British valve combo overdrive.

Acoustic

Simulates the sound of an electro-acoustic guitar.

Bluesbreaker

The 1962 Bluesbreaker was the first combo made by Marshall. Launched in 1965, it had two 12” speakers with an output of 30 Watts. The 1962 was famously used by Eric Clapton on the influential blues album ‘John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers’ in 1966 – hence the 1962’s ‘Bluesbreaker’ nickname. The 1962 Bluesbreaker is still made today as part of the Vintage Re-Issue Series™ and Handwired™ Series.

Clean American

Classic American pure-valve sound.

Clean DSL

Launched in 1997, the JCM2000 Dual Super Lead’s ‘dual mode’ design meant that guitarists could choose either a Clean or Crunch tone from the Classic Gain Channel, whilst the Ultra Gain Channel provided two lead sounds: Lead 1 & Lead 2. This tonal versatility was aided by the Deep and Tone Shift features. It is the JCM2000 DSL100’s tonal range and versatility that made it massively popular in its day, so much so, that its legacy lives on in the current DSL Series.

Clean JVM

When the JVM410H launched in 2006 it caused quite a stir. This 100 Watt head is an all- valve tonal monster that has four channels, each with three modes: Green, Orange and Red, offering guitarists a range of 12 unique tones. Each mode reconfigures the channel gain stages in order to develop different amounts of gain and tone. The JVM410H’s vast tonal spectrum makes it the most versatile amplifier Marshall has ever made, used by many professional players.

Crunch American

Classic American valve overdrive.

JCM800

The 2203 is one of the most important amplifiers Marshall has ever made. It evolved in the ‘70s from the JMP and 1959 Plexi heads. In the ‘80s the 2203 became the JCM800 2203 we know today: a straightforward single channel amplifier that was favoured by the heavy metal scene that dominated much of that decade. Its popularity remained well into the ‘90s with the emergence of Grunge and Britpop, and it’s still revered today and is considered the benchmark by which modern all metal amplifiers are measured. 2 x ECC83 in preamp, 1 x ECC83, 4 x EL34 in power.

JTM45

The JTM45 was the first Marshall amplifier. It was made in 1962 by Jim Marshall and his small team of engineers in a workshop at his music store in Hanwell, London. This 30 Watt two channel amplifier began a revolution that changed forever the sound of rock and blues music. The JTM45 is still made today as part of the Vintage Re-Issue™ Series and Handwired™ Series. Preamp valves: 2 x ECC83, poweramp: 1 x ECC83, 2 x 5881.

Natural

The Natural preamp is designed to be used with external FX without the tonal colour of an MST modelled preamp. It provides EQ for tonal shaping and access to the Gate.

OD American

Classic American higher gain overdrive.

OD DSL

Launched in 1997, the JCM2000 Dual Super Lead’s ‘dual mode’ design meant that guitarists could choose either a Clean or Crunch tone from the Classic Gain Channel, whilst the Ultra Gain Channel provided two lead sounds: Lead 1 & Lead 2. This tonal versatility was aided by the Deep and Tone Shift features. It is the JCM2000 DSL100’s tonal range and versatility that made it massively popular in its day, so much so, that its legacy lives on in the current DSL. 4 x ECC83s, 4 x EL34s.

OD JVM

When the JVM410H launched in 2006 it caused quite a stir. This 100 Watt head is an all- valve tonal monster that has four channels, each with three modes: Green, Orange and Red, offering guitarists a range of 12 unique tones. Each mode reconfigures the channel gain stages in order to develop different amounts of gain and tone. The JVM410H’s vast tonal spectrum makes it the most versatile amplifier Marshall has ever made, used by many professional players. Preamp valves: 4 x ECC83, power amp valves 1 x ECC83, 4 x EL34.

OD Silver Jubilee

The 25/50 Silver Jubilee Series was created in 1987 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of Marshall Amplification and 50 years of Jim Marshall being in the music business. Based on the JCM800 2203 and 2204™ Master Volume models, Silver Jubilee amplifiers had a special preamp circuit that featured three gain ‘modes’ which were Clean, Rhythm Clip and a switchable Lead Channel. The 2555 was the 100 Watt head in the Jubilee series, which was a limited edition. By popular demand the JCM2555 was re-issued as the 2555X™ in 2015. Preamp: 3 x ECC83, power amp: 4 x EL34.

Plexi

To the minds and ears of many, the 100 Watt Super Lead heads of the mid to late 1960s are the holy grail of great rock tone. Being non-master-volume, when cranked, the 1959 power valves overdrive producing highly responsive, harmonically rich tones. The 1959 amplifier is still made today as part of the Vintage Re-Issue Series™ and Handwired™ Series.

Power-amps


American Class A/B

100 watt 6L6 class A/B

British Class A

British Class A 30 watt EL84

Classic Marshall 100w

Classic Marshall 100 watt EL34

Vintage Marshall 30w

Vintage Marshall 30 watt 5881

Cabinets


1912

Classic 1 x 12” Celestion G12-B150 speakers.

1936

Classic 2 x 12” Celestion G12-T75 speakers.

1936V

2 x 12” with Celestion ‘Vintage 30’ speakers.

1960

Classic 4 x 12” Celestion G12-T75 speakers.

1960HW

4 x 12” with Celestion G12H-30 speakers.

1960V

4 x 12” with Celestion ‘Vintage 30’ speakers.

1960X

4 x 12” with Celestion G12M-25 speakers.

1974CX

1 x 12” Handwired with G12M-20 speaker.

Pedals


Auto Wah

Auto Wah is a dynamic filter, similar to a Wah Wah pedal. A Wah Wah pedal has a ‘rocker’ footplate to control the frequency at which the filter operates. Auto Wah has no ‘rocker’ footplate, so in ENV Mode the rocker automation responds to input level. In LFO Mode the rocker motion is fully automated.

Compressor

Compressor affects an audio signal’s dynamic range. CODE’s compressor decreases, or ‘compresses’, any part of your guitar sound that peaks above a certain threshold. Any part of your guitar sound that remains below the threshold is unaffected. Compressor can add clarity and consistency to your guitar sound whether clean or overdriven.

Distortion

CODE’s stompbox Distortion’s three Modes simulate solid-state Distortion and Overdrive FX pedals. GUV Mode is a Marshall Guv’nor™ with Drive and Tone controls. ODR & DIS Modes provide flavours of classic overdrive and distortion stompboxes. Stompbox Distortion is particularly effective when used with classic and vintage MST preamp models to provide more drive and sustain.

Pitch Shifter

Pitch Shifter generates chromatic harmonies with the ability to fine tune. This enables you to pitch up or down to produce octaves or 3rd, 4th or 5th harmonies. Pitch Shifter can also produce more discordant, quirkier sounds.

Modulations


Chorus

Chorus and Vibrato FX apply a subtle pitch variation to the guitar signal taking your sound from shimmering, delicate undulations to full on wobble. This can add depth and width to clean sounds and fatten up solos.

Flanger

Flanger can produce Chorus-like sounds, but is more vivid and is harmonically more complex. It can create weird and wonderful sonic textures, like ‘jet plane’ Doppler FX and resonant metallic whooshes.

Phaser

Phaser uses all-pass filters to shift the guitar signal very slightly. Modulating the shifted, or phased, signal in relation to the original signal produces the classic Phaser sound - great for tight funky lines, sweeps and swells.

Tremolo

The cool sounding Tremolo effect is created by the signal amplitude being modulated up and down. Tremolo can produce a variety of sonic characteristics from delicate shimmer to heavy Tremolo throb.

Delays


Multi

Multi Delay adds a rhythmic repeat for more complex delay patterns.

Reverse

Reverse Delay’s repeats run backwards. This can add texture and an eerie quality to your sound.

Studio

Studio Delay is a high fidelity delay line. Its longer delay time enables you to layer what you play in up to 4 second loops.

Vintage

Vintage Delay recreates the sound of analogue delays.

Reverbs


Hall

Hall Reverb recreates the longer acoustic reflections of a hall-sized space.

Room

Room Reverb recreates the acoustic reflections of small to larger rooms.

Spring

Spring Reverb is a classic, analogue way of creating Reverb FX. Conventional Spring Reverb uses a metal tray containing rows of springs. The guitar signal passes along the springs creating a vintage sounding Reverb effect.

Stadium

Stadium Reverb recreates the acoustic reflections of a very large space.